ONE MESSAGE. ONE FAITH.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray,  believe  that ye  receive  them, and ye shall have them.- Mark 11:24 *image from web* There are many heartwarming stories of unfortunate circumstances that are miraculously turned around during this time of the year.  Many a Hallmark Christmas movie is themed around the whole idea of miracles and Christmas- stopping short of course of the miraculous entrance of Jehovah embodied in full authority and power in the most ironic vessel of a baby.   But what of this- this phenomenon when the miraculous seems to be more easily accomplished in this holiday season? Has God held back his power to manifest it uniquely during this time of the year? Jesus Christ the  same   yesterday , and to day, and for ever.- Hebrews 13:8 For I am the  Lord , I  change   not- Malachi 3:6a According to the word of God, no.  Then what has changed? Th...

" You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid" Matt 5:14 You- Who is this "you"? The Ekklesia- the called out ones;The disciples of Christ; the whole body of believers. Are... their present state of being the ... Specific, direct, and pointed. Unique. light of the world -    the world's source of illumination. A city    a vibrant, growing, adapting, receiving, releasing, interactive, ground-breaking, trend-setting, sharing, community of neighbors that is set on a hill  purposefully placed above the plain; positioned strategically on an upward slope cannot be hid un-apologetically visible; unable to be covered; distinctive; obvious; apparent; unable to be ignored What we are as the body of Christ- LIGHT- is not just a light.  What we are - that is it. The light. Our being Light demands that we "cannot be hid".  We cannot  be hidden. We  should not not look...

The Most powerful force "Above all taking the shield of faith..." Think of that- above all. Faith is the most powerful force, because  faith moves God . FAITH moves GOD! Faith also shields believers from the effects of the devil's attacks. So like a baby just learning to stand and walk, God deliberately orchestrates events and circumstances to get us from "pulling up and holding on" faith to "effortless rolling from heel to toe" faith. It's strength training for the spirit. Many times the faith we possess to pray a prayer, is not the faith we need to receive the answer. So God begins a process, equipping and increasing our faith to receive the very thing  for which we prayed . What we get in return is more than the desired thing, but "exceeding, abundantly beyond what we ask or think".   In other words- increased faith. When we are beyond the "pull up and hold on" level of faith, then our arms are free ...

image from web It's the timeless metaphor. You know the story: Coal.  Extreme heat.   Extreme pressure.   Glittery sparkling clear rock that bends and reflects light. And while that remains factually untrue (coal is not actually involved in natural diamond formation), the principle of the process manages to find it's way into the  hearts of the persevering, the aspiring, the goal-seeking, and the dream-chasing. There is something imprinted in the minds of men to rise up to challenges we face. Overcoming challenges results in accomplishment. Sense of accomplishment give us purpose. And purpose gives us life. So we rise. In the face of adversity we push, and if we must, we fight.  The saddest people in the world are not the poorest, but the one who has lost his will to go on, to fight- to live. It is in this vein the Lord speaks to us . It is to this appeal that He implores us: " diligently seek him" "search for m...

PRESS. image from web My desire for God must  drive  me to the throne of God. I must press, like the woman with the issue of blood-- I must persevere. There has to be an inner desperation, a dire thirst in my soul that longs for God. O God, You  are  my God; Early will I seek You; My  soul  thirsts for You; My flesh  longs  for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.- Psalm 63:1 My  soul   longs , yes, even faints For the courts of the  Lord ; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.- Psalm 84:2   I spread out my hands to You; My  soul   longs  for You like a thirsty land. Selah- Psalm 143:6 What brought David to the point of his flesh - his flesh(!)- longing for the Lord? Well the flesh [ basar]  used here is in context of the tangible body- rather than the carnal nature of man as we'd normally translate it in the new testament. So David was saying his soul and his physi...

image from www.davidmbn.com In prayer this morning  I was humbled as I marveled at  the turning of God's attention to me the minute I called his name. The fact that I can call on his name and he respond- for I can sense the wafting in of the ever-presence of God- astounds me.  It overwhelmed me to recognize his loving kindness. I relate to David when he poses the question, "What is man that you are mindful of him?" The song that declares "OH! how he loves us" reverberates in my thoughts and I double over smitten by the undeserved affection and attention the Lord gives me. Again, in David's words, " these thoughts are too wonderful for me." But it did not begin there. Before the the presence of God was able to overtake me I was overtaken by the pursuit of HEBEL. You know, the HEBEL that Solomon writes about in Ecclesiastes 2:1. I said [ amar] in my heart [ leb] , “Come now [ yalak] , I will test [ nacah] you with mirth[ simchah ]; ther...

Easy yoke? Light burden? Easy is not usually the first word that comes to mind with the image of a  Yoke. But there it is in Matthew 11:29. "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"   Truth is, yokes are easy when the one you're yoked with is carrying the bulk of the load. Burdens become light when you are suddenly freed from carrying the load of guilt and condemnation on your shoulders alone.  So Jesus beckons us to take the load of the world off our shoulders and yoke up with him. Even when I walk      through the darkest valley, [ a ] I will not be afraid,      for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff      protect and comfort me. - Psalm 23:4